The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-18
TEMPERANCE.
THE SALOON IN POLITICS.

SONtIuHthl IL I'd scCuTc nOleSL anu
economical administration. Our great
and rapidly growing cities are obliged
To spend very large sums for public inn
provements of various kinds; and
wherever public money is to be spent.
there We may be sure we will find men
anxious To have n hand in the business.
For somehow there has grown up a
false code of honesty in the public
mind; tho thief who steals outright
from private citizen is condemned
and punished, while he who steals from
the treasury through cunning con-
tracts, sharp practice in bidding, and
other schemes unfortunately far too
familiar, suffers no loss of social or
business standing.
The opportunities of many municipal
otice-holdcrs To obtain profit out of
oflice-hold;ng has led dishonest and
disrcputable men to seek such positions
with eagcrness; and the saloon has
been the most potent influence by
which they could compass their wishes.
The result has been that there is net
one of the larger cities of the land but
has become the victim of an organized
scheme of plumber. The erection Of
public buildings, the paving of streets,
and every other municipal improve
mcnt has been made TO cost far more
than it would had it been done for u
private individuals; and our total munic-
ipal debt is many millions greater than
it would otherwise be, on account of
these Wholesale stcalings.
1t has become common for men who
are VIGOROUSLY corrupt to sock and
obtain Office in our great cities. They
do not appeal to the honest, respect
able classes for their support; they
know that this would be unavailing.
But they turn TO the saloons. and
through their means control tho ig-
norant and degraded. and the distinc-
lively vicious classes of the community
classes whose numerical strength
would not be so great were it not for
the saloons themselves. Rum is the
parent of poverty, ignorance, vice and
ilourishes most. there we find the
greatest number of these dangerous
classes.
The Rum Power has not been slow
TO recognize the power it thus wiclds
in politics. The men who are rivals
for tho saloon support have courtcd
and coddled the Rum Power to obtain
place, until it has become fully cog
infant that it can control municipal
politics. And it has not been slow TO
make the most of this advantage. No
man, as a rule, WHO is known to be IN
active opponent OF the Rum Power
can obtain municipal Office of any
kind. II he can not be defeated for
in the caucusas, he is over
thrown at the polls. Hence men who
in their hearts resent the tyranny are
nevertheless compelled, by their own
political ambition. to keep silent, and
even if they do not do the bidding OF
the Rum Power will not actively OPP
pose it, knowing that the kncll of their
aspirations will be struck by the first
show of opposition on their own part.
This has gone on until the dangers
If this growing supremacy of the Rum
Power has become clearly apparent.
The saloonists and their allies have so
their power. and are so
of their strength, that in
many of our cities they bid defiance to
Ill law. wherever j! may interfere with
heir schemes Of profit and plumber.
They are willing that all laws shall be
strictly enforced except those which
concern themselves. They regard |
themselves as privileged class--as
above and beyond all law. There is |
rot q liquor law upon the statute books |
If any State or any city that they will |
not disregard. They feel secure IN
heir law-breaking, because they know |
he power they WELD in politics. The
Jflicial who does enforce the law |
against them will be driven from pow
n at the noxt election. They feel |
stronger than tho senti-
nent in favor of law or order. and |
renee ignore whatever laws they may
choose with impunity. They even
rave abrogated the Fourth Command
nent, because Sunday is one Of the
pest days in the whole week wherein
o sell Rum.
So universal is this disregard of law
~ the Rum Power. so fully is IL rec
,gnized, that il is even made an nrgu-
nont against the enactment Of re-
trictive laws. The most oft-rciterated
lea against restrictive laws is: 'Oh,
'ou can't enforce the law" Things
ave come To sad pass. indeed. in